Polytechnic University of the Philippines

College of Arts
Department of Sociology
6th flr CA Office. Mabini Campus, Sta. Mesa, Manila

SOCIOLOGY, CULTURE, AND FAMILY PLANNING (SO100/SOCI1013)

Instructor: John N. Abletis
Cellular phone number: 09214632761
E-mail Address/Facebook account: john_abletis@yahoo.com.ph
(Please state your name and your section when sending me an e-mail or when texting me)
DESCRIPTION
A comprehensive introductory Sociology course offered to make the students aware of societal realities using
different lenses of Sociological frameworks and theories as applied to the Philippine setting.
The course is also designed to deliver basic instruction to students on Philippine cultures and Family Planning.
METHOD OF TEACHING
Class discussions, brief reporting, group games, seminar attendance and community immersion
COURSE OUTLINE
Reports, Suggested Readings [SR],
Date Topic(s), Assignments [As], and Activities [Ac] and Required Readings [RR]
November  Leveling of Expectations & Assigning of  What is Sociology? Comparing Sociology and the
3-6, 8-10 Reports Social Sciences by James M. Henslin (in Henslin,
 Sociology as a Social Science 2003, pp. 8-19) [RR]
 The Sociological Imagination  The Promise by C. Wright Mills (in Henslin, 2003,
 Sociology as a Debunking Science pp. 20-27) [RR]
 Areas of “specialization” in Sociology
November  Medieval Period, Renaissance, Scientific  Ideology and the Development of Sociological Theory
10-13, Revolution, Enlightenment, Industrial by Irving M. Zeitlin (1968, pp. 3-79, 234-280) [SR]
15-17 Revolution, and the French Revolution  Classical Sociological Theory by George Ritzer
 Saint-Simon, Auguste Comte, and Emile (1992, pp. 1-37, 79-106, 179-212) [SR]
Durkheim  Four Sociological Traditions by Randall Collins (pp.
 Structural-Functionalism Perspective [Ac] 3- 46, 181-241) [SR]
 Contemporary Sociological Theory: Continuing the
Classical Tradition by Ruth Wallace and Alison Wolf
(1986, pp. 9-60) [RR]
November  Karl Marx and Max Weber  Ideology and the Development of Sociological Theory
17-20,  Analytical and Critical Conflict Perspectives by Irving M. Zeitlin (1968, pp. 83-158) [SR]
22-24 [Ac]  Classical Sociological Theory by George Ritzer
(1992, pp. 144-178, 213-259) [SR]
 Four Sociological Traditions by Randall Collins (pp.
47-120) [SR]
 Contemporary Sociological Theory: Continuing the
JNA socio course outline 2010

Classical Tradition by Ruth Wallace and Alison Wolf

(1986, pp. 61-144) [RR]
November  Man and Society  Power and Privilege: A Theory of Social Stratification
24-27 by Gerhard E. Lenski (1966, pp. 24-42) [RR]
November FIRST MAJOR EXAMINATION (60 Points,90 mins)
29-Dec. 1 Provide yourself a PUP Examination Booklet (Blue book)
December  Nature-Nurture issue  Queer Customs (from Mirror for Man) by Clyde
1-4, 6-8  Definition of Culture (Edward Tylor) Kluckholm (in Massey, 2001, pp. 82-89)
 Nonmaterial Culture  Body Ritual Among the Nacirema by Horace Miner
 Material Culture [As] [Ac] (in Henslin, 2003, pp. 79-83)

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  Ideal Culture vs. Real Culture  Doing Fieldwork Among the Yanomamo by Napoleon
 Culture Universals A. Chagnon (in Henslin, 2003, pp. 84-99)
 Subcultures  The Sounds of Silence by Edward T. Hall and Mildred
 Popular Culture R. Hall (in Henslin, 2003, pp. 100-108)
 Conspicuous Consumption and Conspicuous  The Louisiana Purchase (St. Louis) Exposition of 1904
Leisure (Thorstein Veblen) by Jaime C. Laya (in Almario, n.d., pp. 8-17)
 Consumerism (Baudrillard and Ritzer)
 Ethnocentrism, Xenocentrism, and Cultural
Relativism
 The Humanistic Principle (Elvin Hatch)
December  Language  Ang Pinagmulan at ang Pagkalat ng Tsismis by Laura
8-11, 13-  Sociocultural Systems L. Samson (in Antonio & Tiamson-Rubin, 2003, pp.
15 - Material Infrastructure 157-167)
- Social Structure  “Colonial Mentality” sa Pagkain by Jaime B.
- Ideological Superstructure Veneracion (in Antonio & Tiamson-Rubin, 2003, pp.
 Social Groups and Organizations 208-210); Galit sa Guhit, Sumpong sa Sulat:
 Social Process/Patterns of Social Interaction Pagsasanib ng Sikolohiya, Kultura at Wika sa mga
[Ac] Graffiti by Jema M. Pamintuan (Ibid, pp. 211-218)
 The Rules of Giving Christmas Gifts by Theodore
Caplow (in Henslin, 2003, pp. 109-117)
 If Hitler Asked You to Electrocute a Stranger, Would
You? Probably by Philip Myer (Henslin, 2003, pp.
261-271)
 Behavior in Public Places: The Sociology of the
Vaginal Examination by James Henslin (Henslin,
2003, pp. 202-214)
 I’d Hammer Out Freedom: Technology as Politics and
Culture by Richard E. Sclove (in Winston & Edelbach,
2000, pp. 93-101)
January 3-5 SECOND MAJOR EXAMINATION (90 Points,90 mins)
January  Personality [Ac]  A Look behind the Veil by Elizabeth W. Fernea &
5-8, 10-12  Socialization [As] Robert A. Fernea (in Massey, 2001, pp. 107-113)
 Jean Piaget  On becoming Female: Lessons Learned in School by
 Sigmund Freud Donna Eder (in Henslin, 2003, pp. 155-161)
 Erik Erikson  Masculinities and Athletic Careers by Michael
 Charles Horton Cooley Messner (in Massey, 2001, pp. 285-297)
 George Herbert Mead  On Becoming Male: Reflections of a Sociologist on
 Socialization Agents [Ac] Childhood and Early Socialization by James Henslin
 Socialization in Later Life (in Henslin, 2003, pp. 143-154)
 Kindergarten as Academic Boot Camp by harry L.
Gracey (in Henslin, 2003, pp. 390-404)
 Anybody’s Son Will Do by Gwynne Dyer (in Henslin,
2003, pp. 458-470)
JNA socio course outline 2010
January  Symbolic Interactionism (Herbert Blumer)  On Face-Work: An Analysis of Ritual Elements in
12-15,  Dramaturgy and Impression Management Social Interaction by Erving Goffman (in Massey,
17-19 (Erving Goffman) 2001, pp. 96-106)
 The Social Construction of Reality (Peter  The Dynamics of Welfare Stigma by Robin Rogers-
Berger and Thomas Luckmann) Dillon (in Massey, 2001, pp. 251-264)
 Attacking Nicely: Women Selling Cars by Helene M.
Lawson (in Henslin, 2003, pp. 187-201)
 Media and the Social Construction of Risk by Robert
A. Stallings (in Rubington & Weinberg, 1995, pp.
302-319)

2

January  Exchange and Rational Choice Theory (George
19-22 Homans and and Peter Blau)
 Rational Choice Theory (James Coleman)
January  Sociology of Deviant Behavior [Ac]
24-29 - Anomie of Durkheim
- “Function” of deviancy
- Anomie version of R. Merton
- Differential Association (E. Sutherland)
- Social Control theory
- Conflict theory on Deviancy
January  Social Stratification and Legitimation
31-  The Dynamics of Distributive Systems and The
February 5 Structure of Distributive Systems (Lenski,
1966, pp. 43-93)
 Habitus, Field, and Symbolic Violence (Pierre
Bourdieu)
 Education and the Process of Stratification
(Ballantine, 1997, pp. 67-85)
 Media and Ideology (Croteau & Hoynes, 2000,
157-191)
 Social Mobility
 Eating Your Friends is the Hardest: The Survivors of
the F-227 by James Henslin (in Henslin, 2003, pp.
261-270)
 The Stages of Social Problems by Richard C. Fuller
and Richard R. Myers (in Rubington & Weinberg,
1995, pp. 98-108)
 Four Sociological Traditions by Randall Collins (pp.
242-290) [SR]
 Contemporary Sociological Theory: Continuing the
Classical Tradition by Ruth Wallace and Alison Wolf
(1986, pp. 187-231, 232-260) [SR]
 Upward Mobility Through Sport? by D. Stanley Eitzen
(in Massey, 2001, pp. 226-233)
 Hanging Tongues: A Sociological Encounter with the
Assembly Line by William E. Thompson (in Massey,
2001, pp. 234-243)
 Four Sociological Traditions by Randall Collins (pp.
121-180) [SR]
 Contemporary Sociological Theory: Continuing the
Classical Tradition by Ruth Wallace and Alison Wolf
(1986, pp. 145-186) [SR]
 Outsiders by Howard S. Becker (in Rubington &
Weinberg, 1995, pp. 186-191)
 The Saints and the Roughnecks by William J.
Chambliss (in Massey, 2001, pp. 145-158)
 On Being Sane in Insane Places by David L.
Rosenhan (in Henslin, 2003, pp. 294-306)
 Learning to Be Deviant by Edwin Sutherland and
Donald R. Cressey (in Rubington & Weinberg, 1995,
pp. 145-151)
 Is Honesty Really Our Policy by Janet M. Ruane and
Karen A. Cerulo (in Henslin, 2003, pp. 249-252)
 The Pathology of Imprisonment by Philip G.
Zimbardo (in Henslin, 2003, pp. 287-293)
 Joining a Gang by Martin Sanchez Jankowski (in
Adler & Adler, 2003, pp. 445-466)
 Robert Merton: Anomie and Social Structure by
Marshall B. Clinard (in Rubington &Weinberg, 1995,
pp. 135-144)
 The Positive Functions of the Undeserving Poor:
Uses of the Underclass in America by Herbert J.
Gans (in Massey, 2001, pp. 38-51)
 School and the Reproduction of Social Class (from JNA socio course outline 2010
Ain’t No Makin’ It) by Jay Macleod (in Massey,
2001, pp. 397-408)
 The New IQism: Intelligence, ‘Ability’ and the
Rationing of Education by David Gillborn and
Deborah Youdell (in Demaine, 2001, pp. 65-99)
 Functional and Conflict Theories of Educational
Stratification (Collins, 1971, pp. 1002-1019)
 The Importance of Being Beautiful by Sidney Katz
(in Henslin, 2003, pp. 313-320)
 Beauty and the Beast of Advertising by Jean
Kilbourne (in Henslin, 2003, pp. 421-424)
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  Media Magic: Making Class Invisible by Gregory
Mantsios (in Massey, 2001, pp. 169-176)
 The Foundations of Third World Poverty (from
Promises not Kept) by John Ibster (in Massey, 2001,
pp. 297-303)
February  Gender, Women and Children  Sexual Categories [–Real or Social Constructions?] by
7-12 - Anti-Violence Against Women and their John Boswell (in Massey, 2001, pp. 33-37)
Children (RA 9262) [SR]  Women’s Personal Lives: The Effects of Sexism on
 Race and Ethnicity Self and Relationships by Sheila Ruth (in Massey,
- Indigenous People’s Rights Act (RA 8371) 2001, pp. 265-275)
[SR]  The Romance Between the Egg and the Sperm by
 Universal Declaration of Human Rights Emily Martin (in Henslin, 2003, pp. 411-420)
(UDHR) [As] [RR]  Showing My Color by Clarence Page (in Henslin,
 Philippine Bill of Rights (1987 Philippine 2003, pp. 331-339)
Constitution, Article 3) [As] [RR]
February 14-16 THIRD MAJOR EXAMINATION (40 Points,50 mins)
February  The Filipino Family by Belen T. G. Medina  Love, Arranged Marriage, and the Indian Social
16-19, (2001) [SR] Structure by Giri Raj Gupta (in Massey, 2001, pp.
21-23 - Courtship patterns 354-364)
- Mate selection [Ac]  The Emotional Geography of Work and Family by
- Love and Sex Arlie Russell Hochschild (in Massey, 2001, pp. 375-
- Husband and Wife roles 387)
- Parenthood  Natural Contraceptives
- The Elderly  Artificial Contraceptives
- Family and Kinship structure
 The Family Code of the Philippines (Executive
Order No. 209 as amended by No. 227) [SR]
 Family Planning
 STD and AIDS [As]
February  Population and Environment  The Ecology of Urban Disorganization by Robert E.
23-26 L. Faris and H. Warren Dunham (in Rubington &
Weinberg, 1995, pp. 64-71)
 Population, Poverty and the Local Environment by
Partha S. Dasgupta (in Massey, 2001, pp. 431-437)
 Technological Subversion of Environmental Ethics
by David Strong (in Winston & Edelbach, 2000, pp.
148-159
 Sustaining Life on Earth by Robert W. Kates (in
Winston & Edelbach, 2000, pp. 294-302)
February  Urbanization  Social Change and Social Disorganization by Robert
28 - March  Modernization E. Park (in Rubington & Weinberg, 1995, pp. 60-63)
12  Cultural Change  As the World Turns by Robert B. Reich (in Massey,
 Culture Lag (W. Ogburn) 2001, pp. 304-314)
JNA socio course outline 2010
 Tragedy of Culture (Georg Simmel)  The Global Village Finally Arrives by Pico Iyer (in
 Future Shock (Alvin Toffler) Massey, 2001, pp. 427-430)
 Mcdonaldization (George Ritzer)  The Disappearing Dap-ay: Coping with Change in
 Juggernaut of Modernity (Anthony Giddens) Sagada by Felipe S. Comila (in Arquiza, 2007, pp. 1-
 Post Industrial and Post Modern Condition 16)
 Sharing Space: The Impact of Ecotourism on the
Batak and Tagbanua by Raoul M. Cola (in Aquiza,
2007, pp. 29-50)
 From The Devoicing of Society by John L. Locke (in
Massey, 2001, pp. 462-471)
 The McDonald’s System (from The McDonaldization
4
 of Society) by George Ritzer (in Massey, 2001, pp.
323-329)
 The End of Work by Jeremy Rifkin (in Winston &
Edelbach, 2000, pp. 164-171)
 Automating Work by Thomas R. Ide and Arthur J.
Cordell (in Massey, 2001, pp. 339-348)
 Frankenstein’s Monster and other Horror Stories by
Enzo Russo and David Cove (in Winston &
Edelbach, 2000, pp. 241-246)
(Relative) ONE DAY COMMUNITY IMMERSION (45 Points, Sunday)
February 25-27 SUBMISSION OF TERM PAPER (40 Points, Through E-mail)
March 23 Releasing of Class Cards 
Viewing of Grades through the SIS 
THE COURSE OUTLINE ABOVE is only an approximation of the coverage of what I am about to teach and
what you as a student will learn from this course. Since we belong to a liberal State University, and since this is a
Sociology class, you are free to bring to the class any topic you think is worth knowing provided that (1) it is relevant to
the topic that day, (2) you don’t intend to demean anyone (respect for varying opinions is much appreciated), (3) you
think you have sufficient knowledge to discuss to the class, in simple explanations, the topic you want to bring about, and
(4) if there is sufficient time left. Please understand that Sociology is a complex, broad, and time-consuming discipline,
hence, the topics that I have listed above will be discussed in their briefest sense in short periods only. Please note that in
reality, these topics are too complex and that a day or even a week would not be sufficient to discuss all their
underpinnings and implications in our understanding of the social world. Each day, I would be assuming that you have
read something about the topic. I expect you to share something relevant while in the class. The schedule will be followed
closely. When in need of help regarding your report, feel free to consult me one week before your actual reporting.
Textbook:
ANY BOOK IN GENERAL SOCIOLOGY.
References:
Adler, P. A. and Adler, P. (Eds.).(2003). Constructions of Deviance: Social Power, Context, and Interaction, 4th ed.,
CA: Wadsworth/Thomson Learning, Inc.
Almario, V. S. (Ed.). Bulawan: Journal of Philippine Arts & Culture, Vol. 14 (n.d.), Manila: National Commission for
Culture and the Arts
Anti-Violence Against Women and their Children (RA 9262)
Antonio, L. F. & Tiamson-Rubin, L. (2003). Sikolohiya ng Wikang Filipino, QC: C & E Publishing, Inc.
Arquiza, Y. D. (Ed.).(2007). The Road To Empowerment: Strengthening the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act, Vol. 2:
Nurturing the Earth, Nurturing Life, Manila: International Labor Office
Ballantine, J. H. (1997). The Sociology of Education: A Systematic Analysis, 4th ed., NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc.
Bryjak, G. J. and Soroka, M. P. (2001). Sociology: Changing Societies in a Diverse World, 4th ed., MA: Allyn & Bacon
Collins, R. (1994). Four Sociological Traditions: Revised and expanded edition of Three Sociological Traditions, NY:
Oxford University Press
Collins, R. Functional and Conflict Theories of Educational Stratification. American Sociological Review, Vol. 36, No.
6. (Dec., 1971), pp. 1002-1019.
Croteau, D. & Hoynes, W. (2000). Media/Society: Industries, Images, and Audiences, 2nd ed., CA: Pine Forge Press
JNA socio course outline 2010
Demaine, J. (Ed.).(2001). Sociology of Education Today, NY: Palgrave Publishers Ltd.
Henslin, J. M. (Ed.).(2003). Down to Earth Sociology: Introductory Readings, 12th ed., NY: The Free Press
Indigenous People’s Rights Act (RA 8371)
Lenski, G. E. (1966). Power and Privilege, NY: Mc-Graw Hill, Inc.
Massey, G. (Ed.).(2001). Readings for Sociology, 3rd ed., NY: W. W. Norton & Company, Inc.
Medina, B. T. G. (2001). The Filipino Family, 2nd ed., QC: University of the Philippines Press
Pampel, F. C. (2000). Sociological Lives and Ideas: An Introduction to the Classical Theorists, NY: Worth Publishers.
Ritzer, G. (2003). Contemporary Sociological Theory and Its Classical Roots: The Basics, NY: Mc-Graw Hill, Inc.
Ritzer, G. (1992). Classical Sociological Theory, NY: Mc-Graw Hill, Inc.
Rubington, E. & Weinberg, M. S. (1995). The Study of Social Problems: Seven Perspectives, 5th ed., NY: Oxford
University Press
5
 Sanderson, S. K. (1999). Macrosociology: An Introduction to Human Societies, 4th ed., NY: Addison Wesley Longman Inc.
Shepard, J. M. (1993). Sociology, 5th ed., Minneapolis: West Publishing Company
The Family Code of the Philippines Executive Order No. 209 As amended by No. 227
The 1987 Philippine Constitution
Universal Declaration of Human Rights
Wallace, R. A. & Wolf, A. (1986). Contemporary Sociological Theory: Continuing the Classical Tradition, 2nd ed., NJ:
Prentice-Hall, Inc.
Winston, M. E. & Edelbach, R. D. (Eds.).(2000). Society, Ethics, and Technology, CA: Wadsworth
Zeitlin, I. (1968). Ideology and the Development of Sociological Theory, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc.
COMPUTATION OF GRADES
First Grading: 1st to 3rd examinations, 190 over-all points. Breakdown: 190-179–1.00; 178-167 –1.25; 166-155 –1.50;
154-143 –1.75; 142-131 –2.00; 130-119 –2.25; 118-107 –2.50; 106-95 –2.75; 94-83 –3.00; 82-42 –4.00; 41-0 –5.00
Second Grading: Class Report (30 points) + Class Project (15 points) + Community Immersion (45 points) + Term
paper (40 points) + Class Participation (40 points) + Assignments (20 points) = 190 points minus three points
deduction for every absence committed. (Breakdown: the same as above)
Criteria in giving points
Class Report
 Visual Aid(s) and Props – 5 points
 Handouts – 2 points
 Relevance of Examples and Data presented – 3 points
 Ability to capture the audience’s attention – 10 points
 Manner of reporting – 10 points
 Each reporter should not exceed 15 minutes. A two-point deduction applies in every minute of
extension. Try to summarize your topic into five main points so that your classmates could remember
what your report is all about.
Class Project – Three 80 leaves notebooks. This will be donated to less fortunate children of Brgy. Quintos in
Navotas and other catered communities of the CA Extension Office–Department of Sociology (e.g. in Sta.
Mesa, Manila, and in Talim Island, Binangonan).
Community Immersion – Your class will organize a one-day immersion activity in any of the following locations: an
orphanage, a prison, a poverty-stricken barangay, an institute for the lame and/or the differently-abled
persons, and a center for abused children and/or disserted senior citizens. Criteria for giving points will be
the following: Program (10 points), Food and Drinks (10 points), Planning (10 points), Cooperation
during the event (10 points), and Solidarity produced among yourselves and your hosts (5 points).
Term paper – Sociologize anything under the sun! Choose a topic that interest you most, and then look for theories
and literatures relevant to your inquiry. Make sure to Philipinize your approach, considering how the
Philippine sociocultural peculiarities have affected your inquiry. To avoid copy-pasting from the internet,
I prefer term papers to be written in Tagalog [except for brief quotations]. Criteria: Referencing (5
points, minimum of 5 references. Please follow the APA style), Theory Application and Content (10
points), Research Method used (5 points), Coherence (5 points) and Style in Writing (5 points). Next to
your “sociologically oriented analysis,” in a separate paragraph, write what you have learned after all
your experiences in this subject (both expected and unexpected) and how our lessons have contributed to
your development as a person. (This constitutes 10 points in your term paper score). Finally, this is also
your opportunity to give comments (in a separate paragraph) to my teaching and to the subject (Don’t
JNA socio course outline 2010

worry, the latter will not affect your grade ☺). Note: Your term paper should not exceed 5 pages, maawa
kayo sa babasa, huhu :’[

FINAL GRADE: (First Grading + Second Grading)/2 = YOUR FINAL GRADE ☺